Display or divider panel stand



Jan. 14, 1969 w. JAMAR, JR w DISPLAY 0R DIVIDER PANEL STAND Filed May 20. 1966 6/6. INVENTOR "ML/(ER JAMAR, JR.

ATTOR 5Y5 BY JMW M724 Jan. 14, 1969 w. JAMAR. JR

DISPLAY OR DI'VIDER PANEL STAND Sheet 2 of 5 Filed May 20, 1966 INVENTOR MIL/(5R mm JR.

Jan. 14, 1969 w. JAMAR, JR 3,421,272

DISPLAY OR DIVIDER PANEL s-mm Filed May 20, 1966 Sheet 3 of 5 INVENTOR WALKER JAMAR, JR.

wikmmww' ATTORNEYS United States Patent 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A support device for vertical panels used as a display or room divider including a substantially channel-shaped support frame composed of spaced side walls and a connecting web therebetween. A plurality of clamps are spaced along the length of the support frame between the side walls thereof and operate to clamp a panel within the spaced side walls which protrude beyond the outer ends of the clamps to obscure them. Screw means for operating each of the clamps is located within the spaced walls and is accessible through an opening in the support frame. A movable shelf is mounted within the side walls and may be positioned in an operative position to support a panel or an inoperative position out of the way of a panel.

This invention relates to supports for panels such as used for mounting displays, forming temporary partitions, room dividers and the like and is an improvement over the devices shown in my pending application Ser. No. 433,984 filed Feb. 19,1965, now Patent No. 3,326,505, granted June 20, 1967.

It is desireable that supports of this nature be rugged and yet light in weight so that they will withstand the relatively rough handling that they receive in transporting, assembly with paneling material, normal shifting about when in use, etc.

In accordance with my invention a rigid vertical metallic channel-like support is provided for sheets of rigid paneling material such as plywood or the like. The supports are identical and are used in pairs, which may be joined as by hinges or the like to form folding screens or partitions or the like, each pair supporting between them a sheet of substantially rigid paneling material which is inserted into a channel in each vertical support and clamped therein by spaced clamps within the supports.

The supports are particularly designed so as to support single sheets of standard size panel sheets of up to one half inch thick plywood, chipboard, pegboard, wall board, or the like that normally comes in four foot widths and in lengths up to feet. The channel-like elements forming the vertical supports may also be used for stilfening the longer lengths of panels by securing them in the same manner to either the upper or lower edges of the panels. Such upper and lower channel members also form a pleasing frame for the panel being supported. Where the lower edges of the panels are to be supported in a position elevated above the bottom of the vertical supports, hinged shelves are provided within the channeled vertical supports to support the weight of the panel, these hinged shelves being positionable to be out of the way within the supports when not in use.

It is accordingly a primary object of my invention to provide a novel and low cost support for wall divider panels and the like which is adapted to be readily assembled into a combination with a wall panel of standard commercial size to provide a vertical easel for hanging advertising or artistic displays or for merely providing a room divider or the like.

It is another object of my invention to provide a novel 3,421,272 Patented Jan. 14, 1969 combination of channel-like members with internal clamping devices for supporting and/or framing panels in a vertical position, and wherein the clamping devices are out of sight.

It is another object of my invention to provide a novel combination of channel like members with internal clamping devices and internal hinged shelves.

Other objects will become apparent as the description proceeds in connection with the appended claims and the accompanying drawings, wherein.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention supporting and framing a vertical panel.

FIGURE 2 is a horizontal sectional view through one of the vertical supports in the region of one of the internal clamps and particularly at the section 2-2 of FIG- URE 4.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view similar to FIGURE 2, but with the clamp in a completely closed position, the view being taken at the section 3-3 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 4 is a vertical sectional view through a support at one of the clamps, the view being taken at the section 44 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is another vertical sectional view through a support at one of the clamps, the view being at the section 5-5 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a vertical sectional view through a support and clamp, being taken at the section 6-6 of FIG- URE 4.

FIGURE 7 is a view in elevation of one of the support members, looking toward the open channel, whereby the clamps and hinged shelf are visible.

FIGURE 8 is a horizontal sectional view along the line 88 of FIGURE 7 and showing in plan view the hinged shelf in raised operative position.

FIGURE 9 is a vertical sectional view along line 9-9 of FIGURE 8.

FIGURE 10 is a view similar to FIGURE 8 but showing the hinged shelf in lowered, inoperative position.

FIGURE 11 is a vertical sectional view along the line 11-11 of FIGURE 10.

FIGURE 12 is a top plan view of a series of support members and panels hinged together in one manner; and

FIGURE 13 is a top plan view of a series of support members hinged together in a second manner.

FIGURE 14 is a perspective view of a top hinge clip.

FIGURE 15 is a vertical sectional view along the line 15-15 of FIGURE 1, and showing a display supporting hook.

FIGURE 16 is a side elevation of another embodiment of a vertical support member and clamp;

FIGURE 17 is a horizontal sectional view along line 17-17 of FIGURE 16;

FIGURE 18 is a side elevation of the vertical support member of FIGURES 16 and 17 showing another embodiment of hinged shelf;

FIGURE 19 is a horizontal sectional view along line 19-19 of FIGURE 18; and

FIGURE 20 is a view similar to FIGURE 18, showing the shelf in retracted position.

Referring to FIGURE 1 there is shown a pair of vertical support member 15 and 16, having legs 17 and 18 suitably affixed to their lower ends. As will be described in fuller detail each of the support members is substantially channel shaped in horizontal cross section, and there are clamping members within the channel to firmly grasp the end portions of a vertical panel 19. When so clamped, the assembly of panel and supports will remain in a vertical position. When the panel 19 is so long that it can bend about a vertical axis, or when it is desired to completely frame the panel for a pleasing appearance, upper and lower stiffener members 20 and 21 are secured to the upper end lower edges of the panel, and extend between the vertical supports 15 and 16. These upper and lower stiffener members are channel shaped as are the supports 15 and 16 and have the same cross-sectional dimensions. They also have internal clamps within the channels to grip the upper and lower edges of the panel at spaced points along their lengths. These clamping members are similar to those within the channels of the supports 15 and 16.

FIGURES 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 may be referred to for details of the clamps. As shown in FIGURES 2 and 5, a support member is channel shaped in cross-section, having a pair of side walls and a connecting web 22. Opposite to the connecting web are a pair of inwardly facing flanges and 26 which only partially close the open end of the channel of member 15, leaving plenty of room for the insertion of the edge of a panel 19, shown in dot-dash lines in FIGURE 2. Besides improving the appearance of the support member 15 the flanges 25 and 26 stifien its side walls.

Aflixed to the connecting web 22 as by rivets 27 (FIG. 5) is a strap 28 to which is welded an elongated channel or U shaped support 29 having legs 30 and 31 facing the open end of the support member 15. A block 32 is internally threaded to receive a screw 35 which passes through the block 32 as well as through the connecting web of the support 29, terminating in an enlarged head having a screw-driver slot or the like for engagement by a tool to turn the screw. Connecting web 22 of the support member 15 has a hole 23 through it for insertion of a screw driver or the like to rotate the screw 35.

The block 32 has suitably affixed to it a pair of coaxial rods protruding from the opposite sides thereof to form a hinge pin 37 upon which are hinged a pair of opposed clamp jaws 38 and 39. As shown in FIGURE 2, the jaw 38 is angularly shaped in cross section having a leg 42 meeting it at an acute angle and extending to form a pair of spaced eye portions 40 and 41 (FIGURE 4 and 5) by which it is journaled upon the hinge pin 37. The opposite clamp jaw 39 is similarly constructed, but in reverse, as is apparent from FIGURE 2, and is similarly journaled upon the hinge pin 37.

The jaws 38 and 39 are resiliently urged away from each other and the block 32 is resiliently urged upward as viewed in FIGURE 2 by a pair of springs 45 and 46 (FIGURE 4). These springs are identical, and spring 46 is shown in side elevation in FIGURE 2 where it is shown as having a central curved lower portion engaging the underside of hinge pin 37 and a pair of upwardly extending and diverging portions engaging the upper sides of the clamp jaws 38 and 39. The springs are so tensioned as to force the jaws 38 and 39 apart and raise the block 32 in FIGURE 2, as previously described.

In order to clamp a panel such as the panel 19 in FIG- URE 2 between the clamp jaws 38 and 39 a suitable toolis inserted through the opening 23 in the web 22 to en gage and rotate the screw 35 in the proper direction. FIG- URE 3 shows the jaws in fully closed position, engaging each other, and the threaded block 32 in its lowermost position. The leg 42 of jaw 38 and the corresponding leg 43 of jaw 39 are substantially perpendicular to the legs 30 and 31 of the U shaped support 29, so that when force is applied to the jaws 38 and 39 to clamp a panel 19, the force on the legs 30 and 31 of the support 29 is primarly a compression force which does not have a tendency to separate them.

1 As best shown in FIGURES 2 and 4 the upper edges of the legs 30 and 31 of the U-shaped bracket, which engage the underside of the clamp jaws 38 and 39 may each be provided with a projection, these being designated by reference numbers 47 and 48 in FIGURE 4. These projections protrude through aligned openings in the clamp jaws 38 and 39, and have such a fit in the openings that they permit the needed rocking of the jaws upon the legs 30 and 31 but permit only a limited amount of axial movement of the jaWs 38 and 39 axially of the hinge pin.

FIGURE 7 shows three of the above described panel clamping devices mounted within the channel of the support member 15, these three devices being designated by the reference number 50.

Referring to FIGURE 1, the panel 19 may be mounted spaced above the ground as shown, or it may be rotated 90 degrees in its plane so that its longer dimension is vertical and so that it or a shortened member 21 rests upon the ground. When mounting is spaced above the ground as shown in FIGURE 1, its assembly Within the support members 15 and 16 is facilitated by the use of a pivoted shelf support as shown in FIGURES 8-11 inclusive, and which is indicated by the reference number 51 in FIGURE 7, being located at a height so as to support the panel 19 at the height shown in FIGURE 1.

Referring to FIGURES 811, a pin 53 is shown passing through and affixed to the opposing side walls of the support member 15. Pivoted upon the pin 53 is a shelf 54 integral with a pair of depending side Walls 55 and 56. Each side wall has a slot 57 through which pin 53 passes, each slot having its longest dimension parallel to the shelf 54, and of such length that when the shelf is in the position of FIGURES 8 and 9 the innermost edges of the side Walls 55 and 56 abut the inner face of the connecting web 22 of member 15. Thu the shelf is rigidly held in the position shown, by its own weight. The upper left hand corners of the walls 55 and 56 are curved or cut away as shown, so as to permit counterclockwise rotation of the shelf to the position shown in FIGURE 11 when it is not desired to use it. It will hang in this position because of its weight, but it can be instantly returned to the position of FIGURE 9. When the shelf 54 is not being used the panel can be inserted until it engages pin 53, which is approximately as far as the panel can be inserted into an open clamp, as is apparent from FIGURE 2, and this does not in any way interfere with insertion of a panel as high as the support member 15. It will be understood that each vertical support member can have more than one pivoted shelf member, and that the shelf members will be at the same levels in each vertical support member.

FIGURES 16 to 18 show another form of vertical support having another embodiment of internal clamp for a panel, and another form of pivoted shelf member for supporting a panel.

In the embodiment of the clamp shown in FIGURES 16 and 17 the vertical support 68 comprises a pair of spaced parallel side walls 69 and 70 and a connecting web 71 forming a channel member. An inwardly facing flange 72 on the outer end of side wall 69 partially closes the open end of the channel. The clamp comprises an elongated nut 73 having an integral enlarged flange 74 which is welded to the inner surface of side wall 69. A machine screw 77 is threaded into the nut and has an enlarged clamping head 78 preferably rotatably mounted on its outer end. The threads in the nut 73 extend through the nut and the flange 74, and the side 69 has a hole 79 therethrough for the insertion of a tool such as a screwdriver which 'will engage a screwdriver slot on the inner end of the screw 77 for rotating it and moving it toward or away from the side wall 70 to clamp or release a panel between the side wall 70 and the clamping head 78. The clamps 75 are vertically spaced along the vertical supports 68 in the same manner as the clamps 50 in FIGURE 7, and are out of sight as are the clamps 50. The clamps 75 are also optionally used in the upper and lower stiffener members 20 and 21 of FIGURE 1 instead of the jaw type clamps 50.

FIGURES 18, 19 and 20 show a pivoted shelf support 82 which is similar in operation to the pivoted shelf support 51 of FIGURES 8-11 and is located within a vertical support member as is the pivoted shelf support 51 of FIGURE 7. Instead of being formed of a single sheet of metal it is formed by welding together a first angular piece of metal 83 and a second angular piece of metal 84 which is deformed to provide an elongated gap 85 for the reception of a pin 86 similar to the pin 53 of FIGURES 8-11. FIGURES 18 and 19 show the shelf support 82 in horizontal position for supporting a panel, and FIGURE 20 shows it in its vertical withdrawn position.

The vertical support members of my invention lend themselves to attachment to each other by hinges suitably secured as by removable screws or the like to the connecting webs 22 of the channel shaped support members. Two such arrangements are shown in FIGURES 12 and 13. At least two hinge members should be used to connect a. pair of support members and preferably the upper hinges are provided with clips 63 and 64 as shown in FIGURE 14 to engage the upper edges of the panels. With such arrangements, where the horizontal legs or supports 17 and 18 would cross and interfere with each other, one is detached.

In the embodiment of FIGURE 12 a central assembly of panel 19 and vertical support members and 16 is connected by vertically spaced pairs 60 and 61 of vertical hinges, only one of each vertically spaced pairs of hinges being shown. The other leg of each hinge is aflixed to vertical support members 15 and 16 of other assemblies. In this illustrated arrangement the outer assemblies may be placed at any desired angle with respect to the central assembly except that they should not all three be in or near the same plane. When not in use the three assemblies may be folded into parallel relationship with each other in an obvious manner for storage. Obviously, only two assemblies may be used.

Two, three, or four assemblies may be hingedly connected in the manner shown in FIGURE 13, wherein the outer vertical support members are not shown. In this case too the four assemblies may be folded into parallel relationship with each other for storage.

When a combination of two vertical support members, a panel and an upper stiffener member 20 (FIGURE 1) is used, there is plenty of room for the insertion of a display supporting hook 64 (FIGURE 15) between the panel 19 and the inwardly facing flanges and 26 of the member 20, as is apparent from FIGURE 15. If however a thick panel is used it may be necessary to hang the hook 64 on the upper end of the panel before placing the stiffener member 20 thereon. The display supporting hook 64 does not form any part of this invention, being fully shown and described in my copending application Ser. No. 433,984 now Patent No. 3,326,505 filed Feb. 19, 1965.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A device for holding a vertical panel for use as a display mounting or room divider, comprising:

(a) a vertical support member having a substantially channel shaped cross-section comprising spaced side walls and a connecting web therebetween;

(b) a plurality of clamps spaced along the length of said vertical support between said side walls and operable to clamp a panel within said spaced side walls, said side walls protruding beyond the outer ends of said clamps to obscure them, and means for operating each of said clamps, said operating means located within and substantially obscured by said spaced side walls and said connecting web and accessible for operation through an opening in said channel-shaped member.

2. A device for holding a vertical panel for use as a display mounting or room divider, comprising:

(a) a vertical support member having a substantially channel shaped cross-section comprising spaced side walls and a conencting web therebetween;

(b) a plurality of clamps spaced along the length of said vertical support and each having a pair of elongated clamping jaws mounted upon said connecting web between the side walls of said channel shaped member, said side walls protruding beyond the outer ends of said clamping jaws to obscure them;

(c) each clamp comprising a second channel shaped support member fixedly mounted upon the connecting web of said channel shaped vertical support member and having side walls shorter than the side walls of said channel shaped vertical support memher;

(1) one jaw of each clam pressing against the outer end of a side wall of said second support member;

(2) a hinge pin movable in and out between the side walls of said second support member;

(3) the inner ends of said clamping jaws being pivoted upon said hinge pin;

(4) projections on the outer ends of the side walls of said second support member;

(5) said projections being connected to said clamping jaws to prevent axial movement thereof along said hinge pin;

(d) and means accessible from outside said channel shaped member for opening and closing said clamping jaws.

3. A device for holding a vertical panel for use as a display mounting or room divider, comprising:

(a) a vertical support member having a substantially channel shaped cross-section comprising spaced side walls and a connecting web therebetween;

(b) a plurality of clamps spaced along the length of said vertical support between said side walls and operable to clamp a panel within said spaced side walls, said side walls protruding beyond the outer ends of said clamps to obscure them, and means accessible through an opening in said channel shaped member for operating each of said clamps;

(c) a movable shelf within the side wall members of said channel shaped suport member in a space removed from any of said clamping members; and means for mounting said shelf to hold it in a horizontal position to support a panel while securing said panel by said clamps, said means also supporting said shelf in an inoperative position out of the way of a panel when the panel does not need support.

4. A device for holding a vertical panel for use as a display mounting or room divider, comprising:

(a) a vertical support member having a substantially channel shaped cross-section comprising spaced side walls and a connecting web therebetween;

(b) a plurality of clamps spaced along the length of said vertical support between said side walls and operable to clamp a panel within said spaced side *walls, said side walls protruding beyond the outer ends of said clamps to obscure them, and means accessible through an opening in said channel shaped member for operating each of said clamps;

(c)each of said clamps comprising a threaded nut affixed to the inner surface of one of said side walls, a screw threaded into said nut and having a free end extending toward the other of said side walls, an enlarged clamping head on the .free end of said screw, tool en-gageable means on the end of said screw within said nut, said first mentioned side wall having an opening therethrongh in alignment with said screw for the insertion of a screw engaging tool.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8 IMorcheles et a1. 248316 X Dorman 52475 'Downes 52498 Cripe 52243 X FRA'NK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner.

ii 0. G. MUELLER, Assistant Examiner.

Schneider 24251 Hammitt et a1. 52495 U'S' CL X'R' Pearl 24.451 52- 5s4; 24251; 248316 Webster 52495 X 

